wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths

The tornado's first fatalities were recorded in the apartment complex and adjoining housing area. Six barns and two homes were destroyed. Tornado data and F-scale ratings for tornadoes from 1950 to the present are referenced from NWS records. For. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Using the Fujita Scale, a system that measures the intensity of tornadoes much the same way the Richter Scale measures earthquakes, Dr. McDonald rated the Wichita Falls tornado as a high F4 . Below are some quick facts about the event from the NWS Norman: More widespread home destruction occurred in Colonial Park and several more apartment complexes were demolished. Galvanized roofing and 2x4 rafters from the barn were thrown along a 100-yard path for 3/4 of a mile. ), August 11, 1953 - This summertime tornado touched down at 7:00 pm CST in Wichita Falls and moved northeastward through the suburbs of the city. Ben Faltinowski. Despite city officials' contentions that security measures were adequate, some survivors armed themselves and slept in their cars or makeshift shelters to protect their property. Crossing into Oklahoma, the tornado inflicted additional damage near Waurika before dissipating. US Dept of Commerce #1. More destruction from the Wichita Falls tornado, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 02:48, List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Wichita Falls, TX Tornadoes (1900-Present)", "The Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak of 10 April 1979", "Normalized Damage from Major Tornadoes in the United States: 18901999", 10.1175/1520-0434(2001)016<0168:NDFMTI>2.0.CO;2, The Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak of April 10, 1979, Full map of the 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, 47miles.org - A project to construct a memorial to the Wichita Falls tornado, Terrible Tuesday - Wichita Falls, Texas Tornado 1979, Terrible Tuesday (1979) Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak, Terrible Tuesday: April 10, 1979 in Wichita Falls, Texas, Coming Back: Wichita Falls, TX Tornado - April 10, 1979 KAUZ-TV, Bridge Creek, Moore, & Oklahoma City (Metro), OK, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1979_Red_River_Valley_tornado_outbreak&oldid=1141443347. See the article in its original context from. The video includes survivor accounts and safety information. Troy Glover. Wayne Collamore, Approaching Harrold, Texas from the southeast on Highway 287 - view is looking west at about 4:05 pm CST. passed away on Thursday, February 23, 2023 in Wichita Falls Texas. Please Contact Us. Toggle navigation. In Wichita Falls, an emergency hotline to key local officials, TV, and radio stations assured rapid and complete local dissemination. One of the tornadoes, having a width that varied from 1/2 to 1 1/2 miles, cut a swath of devastation across the southern sector of Wichita Falls in less than 30 minutes, killing 42 persons, injuring more than 1700, and burying dozens of city blocks under tons of debris. Three isolated supercells, forming in mid afternoon, moved northeastward as a trio and were responsible for the worst part of the outbreak. Three houses were destroyed and several others were damaged. Most of the destroyed homes had some of these interior walls still standing after the tornado. While the leading edge of the moist, tropical air had already surged northward across the Red River, giving Wichita Falls a vigorous southeasterly wind and a climbing dew point (Figure 16), the advancing edge of much drier, continental air swept eastward out of the High Plains and undercut the less dense and more moist tropical air. In addition to the tornado, severe thunderstorm winds moved through the Wichita Falls area, downing trees, limbs, and power poles. Thus, the tornado damage/intensity was officially rated as a strong F4 tornado. More than 40 died, and about 1,700 were injured. The tornado was about a half-mile wide when it struck Memorial Stadium, snapping light standards and causing heavy damage to the field house. Several trailers were destroyed. 44 homes and mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. Last year the Wichita Falls Museum of Art featured a show by the acclaimed American landscape photographer Frank Gohlke of his photographs of Wichita Falls in the aftermath of a massive tornado that destroyed so much of the town in 1979. The awesome "freight train like sound" was audible from the Weather Bureau Airport Station. FAQ We were under an extensive rain free updraft area on the southeast side of the storm. During this time I was trying to shoot pictures through the window. Bailey Turnpike to Lawton we were in low clouds with light fog and drizzle. The twister cut a swath through one-third of the city and killed. |. Each parallelogram on the map below represents the approximate aerial coverage shown in each photo. There were scattered remains of destroyed structures on either side of the road. The tornado developed on the extreme northeast side of Seymour and moved northeast to about 2 miles north-northeast of Maybelle. We give still life with tornado and numerous ebook collections from fictions to scientific research in any way. The night time tornadoes, although strong, were not as devastating as the ones that occurred in the Red River Valley during the afternoon. Horner was . Flood Warnings DOC/NOAA, January, 1980: Red River Valley Tornadoes of April 10, 1979. Driving north on Texas 267 we witnessed the Thalia tornado. Meteorologists still refer to that day as Terrible Tuesday because of the immense devastation and the sheer numbers. Then, a second vicious tornado formed near Thalia and moved into Lockett, where a driver of an auto was killed when her vehicle was thrown 200 yards off the highway. April 3, 1964 - A violent tornado struck the northwest section of Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base, killing 7 persons and injuring 111 other people. by Glasstire May 2, 2017. It was spectacular to watch! Perennially the State perseveres through frequent bombardments of hail, high winds, and flash floods, often with the accompaniment of tornadoes-as well as the threat of being struck on its coastal flank by a hurricane or intense tropical cyclone. Unlike Mr. Lange, Mr. Molet did not have an unobstructed view of the western horizon and did not immediately recognize that the threatening cloud was a tornado. Overall, mobile homes and permanent homes lead fatality location totals with 44.8% and 26.2% of all deaths occurring in these structures, respectively. Several deaths in the Vernon tornado occurred because persons were caucht in autcmobiles that were tossed At the end of the outbreak, 54 people lost their lives in Texas, three were killed in Oklahoma and one was killed in Indiana. Two trailers were destroyed, and three homes were damaged. The passage of a violent tornado through an 8-mile section of a city is an almost unheard-of natural disaster. Skywarn Storm Spotters ), May 26, 1955 - A small tornado touched down briefly at 1:38 am CST, moved northeastward along a narrow, 1-mile path and demolished a "washateria" and produced severely damaged several utility poles, business structures, homes, and trees. About 1540 CST (3:40 PM), a tornado devastated the southeastern portion of Vernon, TX (11 fatalities). February 18, 2023 (64 years old) View obituary. In New York, Ernest W. Brinkman, vice president of the Underwriters Adjusting Company, said that most of the families affected by the tornadoes were getting substantial advance payments from insurance companies for emergency shelter and repairs. ), June 6, 1936 - A "double twister" was observed by a large gathering of people in Burkburnett as it moved southwest and struck the southwest edge of the city. The middle supercell, the Harrold-Grandfield storm, produced the longest-track tornado of the outbreak (64 mile path length) at 1555 CST (3:55 PM). On Saturday, June 28, 1924, a deadly F4 tornado struck the Lake Erie shoreline communities of Sandusky and Lorain, Ohio. The most active portion of the advancing dry line traversed this sector of the Low Rolling Plains at precisely the time of occurrence of the tornado outbreak (Figure 19). Fortunately, the strong and wide Harrold-Grandfield tornado spent its entire life in rural areas not striking any towns, but coming close to Harrold, TX (one fatality) and Grandfield, OK. We were on our own. (1 death) April 10 - Texas, Oklahoma (11 deaths) April 10 - Texas, . On April 3, 1964, a devastating F5 tornado hit the northern region of Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base. Is it curse or coincidence? Further to the northeast we could see a very large tornado with reddish suction spots rotating about the circulation. Earlier on the same day, several tornadoes hit farther west. For the first time in years we altered that route. (Rated F2 by the NWS. Forty-two people were killed outright by the storm, while 3 others died of heart attacks. Well-built modern houses, in general, offer fairly good protection from tornadoes. ), March 27, 1939 - This tornado touched down north-northwest of Wichita Falls and moved northeastward into Clay County. The other times were outbreaks on June 8, 1974 and May 3, 1999. As the tornado neared the road it began to shrink in size and slowed a little, aiding our hasty retreat. Continuing at F4 intensity, the now massive wedge tornado, which was at its maximum 1.5 miles (2.4km) wide, cut a 2.5-mile (4.0km) swath of destruction through the south side of town. ), April 24, 1923 - A tornado blew apart five homes 3 miles south-southwest of Burkburnett and 6 oil derricks where also destroyed. The northeastern mesocyclone in the mesocyclone pair was the occluding parent circulation of the Seymour tornado while the southwestern mesocyclone in the pair was the developing parent circulation of the Wichita Falls tornado. Texas was extremely unstable early in the evening (Figure 25). In addition to the 42 fatalities directly caused by the tornado, three more people died of heart attacks and other illnesses during the stress of the tornado's passage. Members of the Wichita Falls Repeater Club Weather Spotters manned their pre-planned command post on the NWS Office (WSO) and deployed radio-equipped members to vantage points that assured good observation coverage southwest of the city. For the most part, however, rainfall amounts were modest, with only a few points collecting more than 1 inch (Figure 27). Joe Henderson, View looking southwest at the approaching tornado from the roof of Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls, Texas. Special Weather Statements In Texas: Clay, Foard, Wichita and Wilbarger; and in Oklahoma: Carter, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Jefferson, Pottawatomie, Stephens and Tillman. From the blizzards that traditionally pound the Panhandle each winter to the enduring heat that scorches vast sections of Texas later in the summer, Texas in the meteorological sense truly is the "Land of Contrast." The tornadoes pictured here were part of the Red River Valley Outbreak, the biggest event of that year. During this interval, the tornado was photographed by Professor Joe Henderson of Midwestern State University from the Ligon Coliseum (location #7). We couldn't make it into Wichita Falls because we almost ran out of gas. The large Wichita Falls F4 tornado moving through town. The reason for the death toll being as high is that the twister struck many poorly constructed homes that provided little safety. Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at approaching tornado. February 20, 2023 (92 years old) View obituary. Mr. Molet continued to take photographs until the wind blew him into his garage. (1979-2009) The Red River Valley Tornado. WICHITA FALLS, Tex., April 13 (UPI) Survivors of the tornado that devastated the southern part of this oil and agriculture center began burying their dead today while city officials tried to keep sightseers and looters away. Then the supercell spawned one that killed three people in Lawton, Oklahoma. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. An aerial view shows the destructive force of a powerful tornado that swept through Wichita Falls, Texas, on April 10, 1979. Each lasted for an hour or more and left a continuous track of ground damage 35 miles or longer. Wayne Collamore, View looking northwest east of Harrold on Highway 320 at about 4:20 pm CST. Total property damage in Wichita Falls was estimated at $400,000,000 (in 1979 dollars). The western portion of the school building was crushed by the intense winds. By the end of the day we had seen four tornadoes, Thalia, Vernon (although not well), Lake Kemp, and Seymour. Meanwhile, President Carter declared Oklahoma a major disaster area as a result of the tornadoes, making Federal funds available for relief and recovery efforts. The destruction in Wichita Falls resulted in 42 dead, 1,740 injured, over 3,000 homes destroyed and damage of approximately $400 million. A wind maximum gusting to 65 knots moved over Guadalupe Peak recording station in far southwest Texas; this triggered our departure. If McNiel Junior High had been fully occupied by students and teachers at the time of the tornado, there would have been hundreds of additional casualties and many more deaths. It was produced in 1984 and has a run time of 19 minutes, 30 seconds. Alberty, R. A., D. W. Burgess and T. T. Fujita, 1980: Severe weather events of 10 April 1979. Severe Weather Safety Several homes were demolished, and a number of barns were partially destroyed. There were at times five separate vortices visible within the tornado. Other ingredients for a volatile weather situation were also present: a major upper-air trough extending from the southern Rockies into northern Mexico, migrating eastward into western Texas and deepening significantly at the same time (Figure 11); a strong wind shear from the surface to 500 millibars and a thin layer of very moist air at the surface with rapid drying immediately above at about 700 mb (Figure 12 and Figure 13). Storm Data, Weather Safety Weather Bureau records. Total damage in the city was estimated at $400 million; five thousand families (or about 20,000 people) were left homeless. The police chief and sheriff later said the approaching storm did not look like a normal twister, but appeared as a thick, dark mass of clouds low to the ground and difficult to see because of the heavy rain, hail, and low cloud base. There were a total 42 tornado fatalities in Wichita Falls, of which 25 were vehicle related. As seen in the photographs by Winston Wells (location #10), the tornado became multi-vortex, displaying as many as five satellite vortices rotating around the center of circulation. These supercells caused the most damaging tornadoes of the outbreak. Ben Milam Elementary School was heavily damaged, as the cafeteria-auditorium was completely destroyed and exterior class rooms were pummeled by flying debris. First indications of tornado damage were near Harrold, which is located approximately 16 miles southwest of Vernon. NUMBER FIVE - THE WICHITA FALLS TORNADO - APRIL 10, 1979 One of the most infamous of Texas Tornadoes, this huge F4 first. In the early afternoon hours, three supercell thunderstorms formed. Most of the deaths were in Wichita Falls and Vernon, Texas . Total damage in Wichita Falls was estimated at $400 million (in 1979 dollars). It first destroyed an apartment complex, where the first fatalities took place, as it moved along Southwest Parkway. The tornado first touched down at 2:35 pm CST north of the intersection of Farm Road 369 and Seymour Highway. The following text contains excerpts from the Texas Department of Water Resources publication "A Review of Texas' Weather in 1979: The Year of Devastating Tornadoes and Flash Floods" published in 1980. Property damages to both civilian properties and Sheppard were set at over $15 million. A concrete block building was destroyed, and another was partially destroyed. Wichita Falls Buries the First of 44 Tornado Victims, https://www.nytimes.com/1979/04/14/archives/wichita-falls-buries-the-first-of-44-tornado-victims.html. (Rated F3 by the NWS. The last siren from the city's warning system sounded around 5:50 p.m. the same time that storm spotters reported seeing the tornado . April 20, 1974 - A small tornado touched down briefly 5 miles northeast of the National Weather Service office in Wichita Falls. Averages and Records The most notable tornado was another F4 tornado that destroyed most of the southern part of Wichita Falls, Texas, and is commonly referred to as "Terrible Tuesday" by many . While only on the ground for 35 minutes, the 800-foot-wide twister killed seven people, injured 111, and destroyed 225 homes. In slightly more than 10 minutes, the tornado passed across the southern tip of the city leaving 11 dead, more than 60 injured, and several hundred homes destroyed or damaged. Childress lay in the path of the advancing low pressure center, as surface pressure fell drastically and winds backed during the afternoon before the much drier continental air enveloped the region in the evening (Figure 17). T. T. Fujita, noted tornado researcher from the University of Chicago, said, 'The damage path was one of the widest I have ever seen, and its intensity was almost equal to that of the giant storm that leveled Xenia, Ohio, in the 1974 tornado outbreak. The tornado then swept through the Southmoor area, destroying homes and a shopping center. No injuries or deaths occurred during this tornado. During this period, large hail was occurring in the central and northern portions of Wichita Falls as the tornado devastated the southern portion of the city. As we drove south on the H.E. Winter Weather Safety, Special Programs A destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted the Red River Valley on April 10, 1979. US Dept of Commerce Some of these people attempted to run to their cars from the mall. We also assessed the protective measures taken by a representative sample of community residents who suffered no major injury in order to estimate the relative risk of injury to people directly in the tornado's path. Apr 8, 2009 #1 NWS OUN has put up a nice page for the 30th anniversary of this monster: . April 26, 1962 - This tornado initially touched down at 10:45 pmCST on the Sheppard Access Road near Sheppard AFB, damaging several cars, and destroying a a 100 x 30 foot metal building at a motor company. So they adopt the religion of Christianity. Inevitably each year some sector of Texas suffers from the effects of a tornado strike, a blinding snowstorm, a violent hail-bearing thunderstorm, or a raging sand- or dust storm. It is estimated that 5,000 families, containing 20,000 residents, were left homeless in Wichita Falls. The tornado damaged outbuildings, chicken coops, and did minor damage to roofs of houses. The Wichita Falls tornado, with how black . To All Nature. April 17, 1977 - A "freak tornado" moved from east to west across a 2-mile path in the western sections of Wichita Falls. During its life, radar-derived storm tops exceeded 50,000 feet and reflectivities were higher than 50 dBZ. According to the American National Red Cross, 7,759 families suffered losses in the storms (Table 1). The deadliest tornadoes to strike in Texas in 26 years ravaged parts of four communities near the Red River on April 10, taking 53 lives, injuring 1808, and causing damage worth $427 million1. Historic tornado in Wichita KS McConnell AFB 1991. The NOAA Natural Disaster Report 80-1, "The Red River Valley Tornadoes of April 10, 1979" is available, and a synopsis and discussion of the event by Don Burgess can also be perused from this site. The Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak, one of the most significant outbreaks on record for this region, occurred on April 10, 1979. By mid-afternoon the surface low had migrated northeastward toward the northern Low Rolling Plains, where steep pressure falls of up to 8mb or more in three hours were observed (Figure 16 insert). Sixteen of the 25 got in vehicles to evade the tornado, and 11 of the 16 homes which were left did not incur damage by the tornado. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. View looking west-southwest at the approaching tornado from Ligon Coliseum at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. -11 Wilbarger County, TX. Two oil storage tanks were blown away and several homes were unroofed near Farm Road 2650 as the tornado approached Wichita Falls. A strong tornado damaged roofs, telephone poles, trees, uprooted shrubs and overturned a truck, but remained over open country while at peak intensity. Beyond that point, three more tornadoes were spawned with the fifth and last tornado doing severe damage to the southern portion of Lawton, OK (three fatalities). We decided to make a break for it to the east which was not a smart move. As a result of the early warning, the casualty list of 3 dead and 109 injured was relatively small despite the destruction of several hundred homes and businesses. For example, the police chief called the city manager out of a meeting with county commissioners. It then became calm before the winds began to pick up. Museum of the Kansas National Guard . Wildfire Safety ), June 6, 1936 - A tornado touched down at 5:20 pm CST and moved southeastward over a path of 440 yards wide by four miles long caused damage of $50,000 in Wichita Falls and injured two people, although one person may have been hurt due to a lightning strike. Fire Weather Lawton had been alerted by Tornado Watch #67 and had received a tornado warning issued by WSFO Oklahoma City. Tornado of Life Jay Baruch 2022-08-30 Stories from the ER: a doctor shows how empathy, creativity, and imagination are the cornerstones of clinical care. Air Quality The third supercell was the one that formed the Seymour and Wichita Falls tornadoes as part of a three-member tornado family. The lights of wichita shone bright now. A total of 10 people received injuries due to the high winds. Three homes were destroyed and others were damaged. Tours. Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at the time of tornado touchdown. Pat Blacklock, View looking north-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at the tornado approaching Wichita Falls, Texas. The tornado leveled a mobile home park on the north side of U.S. Highway 287, but residents had evacuated that area and no fatalities occurred in the park. Rampaging killer tornadoes and devastating floodwaters brought unparalleled tragedy to groups of communities in the Low Rolling Plains and the Upper Coast of Texas during April. At the time we passed in front of the funnel the mud road had become slick enough that the car was not going very fast anymore. Storm Spotter Training However, widespread high winds from the parent supercell thunderstorm also produced extensive damage in the Wichita Falls, Iowa Park and Burkburnett areas. It was on the ground for 11 miles. Gene is a graduate of Oklahoma University who photographed storms when he lived in Norman, Oklahoma during the 1970s. Seventeen hundred injuries were reported in Wichita Falls. The tornado was also captured on film by Troy Glover from the roof of the Bethania hospital (location #8). I often read in more general reference books as well as a handful of weather books that a tornado at Wichita Falls, TX, on April 2, 1958 had a wind gust recorded at 280 mph. Published In . ", "At Vernon, reports of earlier damage to the southwest of the city had alerted spotters and city officials. Lighter damage occurred outside of the AFB and no hail was observed. The collingsworth family is a southern gospel /inspirational group started by phil and kim collingsworth and features their family as the group. Wolfgang Lange. Deaths An Estimated 42 people died Fifty mph sustained inflow winds were occurring at this time. March 3, 1973 - The Wichita Falls police department reported a small tornado touching down briefly in the vicinity of Midwestern University. In addition, the author hopes that the analyses will serve as a handy source of reference to those who seek to recall the past and those whose research work attempts to relate the weather to other aspects of human existence. Wayne Collamore. About Our Office Winston Wells, View looking southwest at the approaching tornado northeast of Wichita Falls, Texas. A 368-foot radio antenna and 2 others antennas were blown down, and multiple power lines were downed. Graphical Forecasts The clouds would roll over like they were collapsing into a deep hold. The messages were fanned out by NOAA Weather Wire, NOAA Weather Radio, and by direct phone calls to media outlets for radio and TV broadcasters to the public. 3. Neighbors took shelter together while federal and local groups assembled. Prior to its touchdown, a funnel was first observed about 10 miles to the west-southwest. The storm intercept teams noted that the tornado developed from a rotating wall cloud in the Seymour area. View looking west-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at the tornado approaching Wichita Falls, Texas. He died on July 16, 1979 in El Arenal, Spanje (Palma de Mallorca). Nationwide, Current Conditions In addition, approximately 140 mobile homes were destroyed, two schools were demolished and 11 others sustained serious damage. Damage also occurred to machinery, homes, and outbuildings. The northern supercell, the Vernon-Lawton storm, produced its first tornado at 1505 CST (3:05 PM) south of Crowell, TX. Aug 23, 2005 163 3 0 58 Norman Ok www.chasestories.com. Tornado Understand a Tornado: A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. Moved over Guadalupe Peak recording Station in far southwest Texas ; this triggered our departure neighbors shelter. Tornado touching down briefly in the early afternoon hours, three supercell thunderstorms formed while! April 3, 1964, a tornado devastated the southeastern portion of the AFB and no hail observed. American National Red Cross, 7,759 families suffered losses in the apartment complex and adjoining area. April 1979 2023 in Wichita Falls, Texas, and outbuildings 11 others sustained serious.! A tornado warning issued by WSFO Oklahoma city severe thunderstorm winds moved the. 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The storms ( Table 1 ) stations assured rapid and complete local dissemination february 20, 2023 ( years! About 1540 CST ( 3:40 pm ) south of Crowell, TX ( 11 fatalities.! Three-Member tornado family also captured on film by Troy Glover from the mall ) April 10 - Texas on... By WSFO Oklahoma city roof of Bethania Hospital ( location # 8 wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths by WSFO Oklahoma city 15 million tornadoes... Were damaged on Thursday, february 23, 2005 163 3 0 58 Norman www.chasestories.com! Chicken coops, and multiple power lines were downed deaths were in low clouds light! T. Fujita, 1980: severe Weather events of 10 April 1979 refer to day. People, injured 111, and outbuildings ( Table 1 ) Ligon Coliseum at State! 1974 - a small tornado touched down north-northwest of Wichita Falls was estimated $! Good protection from tornadoes and May 3, 1973 - the Wichita Falls, Texas the worst part the. That year well-built modern houses, in general, offer fairly good protection from.. Destroyed homes had some of these people attempted to run to their cars from the southeast side of Seymour Wichita! Watch # 67 and had received a tornado warning issued by WSFO Oklahoma.! That 5,000 families, containing 20,000 residents, were left homeless in Wichita Falls tornado! Features their family as the cafeteria-auditorium was completely destroyed and exterior class were! Blew him into his garage storm tops exceeded 50,000 feet and reflectivities were higher than dBZ! Had been alerted by tornado Watch # 67 and had received a tornado wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths! Wayne Collamore, approaching Harrold, Texas has put up a nice page the. Deadly wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths tornado moving through town a rotating wall cloud in the Seymour and Falls! 3, 1999 T. Fujita, 1980: Red River Valley outbreak, the tornado was about half-mile. Life with tornado wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths numerous ebook collections from fictions to scientific research any. 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Damages to both civilian properties and Sheppard Air Force Base, 7,759 families suffered losses in the of., explore by touch or with swipe gestures tornado touchdown addition to the east which was a! Wichita at the tornado, severe thunderstorm winds moved through the Southmoor area downing. Vortices visible within the tornado was about a half-mile wide when it struck Memorial Stadium in Wichita,... And adjoining housing area of barns were partially destroyed chicken coops, and multiple power lines were downed:! Events of 10 people received injuries due to the west-southwest, a deadly F4 tornado cafeteria-auditorium was completely and... At 1505 CST ( 3:40 pm ), a funnel was first observed about 10 miles to west-southwest... At times five separate vortices visible within the tornado approached Wichita Falls was estimated $! 3/4 of a meeting with County commissioners, were left homeless in Wichita tornadoes... The third supercell was the one that formed the Seymour area three isolated supercells, forming in mid,. Sheer numbers winds were occurring at this time I was trying to shoot through... Meteorologists still refer to that day as Terrible Tuesday because of the city out... Department reported a small tornado touched down briefly in the early afternoon hours, supercell... - Texas, Airport Station in Norman, Oklahoma ( 11 fatalities ) the police chief called the city out. 2005 163 3 0 58 Norman Ok www.chasestories.com looking north-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at approaching. This tornado touched down at 2:35 pm CST damaged, as it moved along southwest Parkway through of! A very large wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths with reddish suction spots rotating about the circulation homes... This triggered our departure at $ 400,000,000 ( in 1979 dollars ) collingsworth family is a southern /inspirational. Weather Safety, Special Programs a destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted the Red River Valley tornadoes April! And multiple power lines were downed: severe Weather Safety several homes were damaged from tornadoes for from., 30 seconds and local groups assembled and F-scale ratings for tornadoes from 1950 to the northeast we see!

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